Penguins

Calling ALL Penguins!!!!

We are meeting every Monday and Thursday at 6:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Tahlequah is the date, time, and location of our 2022 TCP Penguin Project Committee Informational Meeting. The venue is located at 315 East Shawnee Street in Tahlequah.
Please contact Bryn Smith (texting is best at 918-457-0235) for concerns regarding the meeting.

That is to say, Calling ALL Penguin Project Penguins! If you don’t know about the Penguin Project, you have no idea what you’re missing. However, that can easily be remedied. The founder of the Penguin Project is Dr. Andy Morgan of Peoria, IL. In short, the Penguin Project is live theatre for those with special needs (Artists), whom are paired with Mentors to assist them in rehearsal and on stage. Please go to www.penguinproject.org for more information.

Yes, Tahlequah has its own Penguin Project Chapter, under its “parent” theatre of Tahlequah Community Playhouse (TCP)

Once a year, a magical and touching celebration of the human spirit unfolds at numerous theaters across the country. A group of children in a program called The Penguin Project take to the stage to perform a modified version of a well-known Broadway musical.  These productions are unique, however, because all the roles are filled by young artists with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities visual impairment, hearing impairment, and other neurological disorders.  They are joined on stage by a dedicated group of “peer mentors” – children the same age without disabilities who have volunteered to work side-by-side with them through 4 months of rehearsals and through the final performance.  By providing access to community theater, The Penguin Project demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability should not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences.

Established in 2004, The Penguin Project has evolved into a National program, with Chapter sites throughout the United States. The program provides a supportive environment for children with disabilities to explore their creative talents.  It has also demonstrated that participation in the performing arts has therapeutic value by enhancing social interaction, communication skills, self-confidence and self-esteem. The impact of the program has reached beyond the stage to create a social network for children who previously had very few friends and limited social opportunities.

“Our penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring.”